Improved mining-pan



J. BROCK.

(1re Amalgamator.

Patented Apr. 23, 1861.

(Witnesses:

' www AM. PHOT0-LITHO. ($0A N.Y. (USBDRNE'S PROCESS.)

the same.

UNITED STATES PATENT Genies.

JOHN 'A'. BROCK, OF OHIOAGILLINOIS.

unnRovED MINING-PAN.

Specilicatin forming part ol' Letters Patent No. 32,1152, dated April 23', 186i.

To all whom# may: concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BROOK, of.

4 provemcnt -in Mining-Pans; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference be- `ing had to the accompanying drawings, forming apart of this specification, in .which-#- Figure 1 is a vertical section ,of a miningpan constructed with my invention. Fig. 2

isa similar section showing a` modification of Similar lettersof reference'in each of the two figuresindicate corresponding parts. To enable others skilled in the art to make and use*l my invention, "I will proceed to describeits constrncti'oulandoperation.

A' in the ,accompanying drawings, Fig. 1, represents asheet-metal pan corrugated about midwaybetween the lbase audits upper edge.

i The interior surface of the bottom of this pan is'lincd-orcovered with copper, platinum, or

other metal, B, which possesses the 4properties to insurela union between it andthe mercur'y usedin the pan. C in Fig. `2 also represents a sheetmetal mining-pan 'similarin form to thatA shown in Fig.1 This pan'has the interior surface of itsbottom, andalso the interiorsurface of its circumference or rim, :to one-half its depth, 4 covered Vwith, copper, platinum, or other metal dish, D, with like properties.`

The. panning utensils now 1n use are made of sheet-iron, tin," or wood. The sheet -`iron pans are mostly made by machinery by being pressed into shape from asingle piece of sheetironlproperdimensions. Some are made by the old plan of" cutting 4the l'sheet-iron and 'seemingtogether.` Some vare made of wood,"

generally turned. i

'TF0 apply-.mw panningutensil, lI fasten tothe innersurface, with copper tacks" or nailsf'a piece of sheetf `copper as large in extent as you wish the -me'rcury to spread; but if the pau is made of .sheet-iron pieces and `locked or seamed together the .inside should be of sheet-copper or other metal substantially the same-to wit, cut thecopper in* the same-shaped pieces 'as :ha :ira-in 'is cut, with `the exception that the mprovement to awoodentwov-*pans l shectiron,thev other of any sheet metal with 1 which mercury will unite-,-for instance, cop` 's ired material.

maybe vdone in a number of different wayys to thesame effect; but I make my pan of any.

form and of any material used for that purpose, and apply to the inside of the pan a me talli'c surface with which mercury w in'any practical manner. Y

I will state themost practicalmanner of making and applying my improvement is to `rntheaseal-aiaanner,-= ose c# ill unite per. Make'the pans of equal size at bottom.

The inside copper one should `not be more than half as high asthe outside or iron one.

Place the copper pan inside the iron onev and corrugate the sides together between suit-able rollers made for the purpose.

ofthe pans, it may be necessary in some cases to remove the corrode or clean the' 'copper with nitric acid, to'allow the mercury to unite immediately. I also coat the opposite side to 'that exposed to the mercury with coal-tar or.` other 'paint' that is impervious to water, to Vprevent the mercury going through the metal withwhich it unites. Y

' I have found that,mercury and amalgam carbel retained in the panning utensils much better by corrngatingthe sides of the pan, as

'described and shown; also,"`that-the surface of miuingpans in use has a nature repulsive to mercury, which renders the vmercury inet"` ifectual in saving gold.

1Witl1 my'panning utensil the mercury can be Aused in a connected manner,l as it is held in a comparatively stationary state and -prevented from moving bodily with the dirt; and. as lthe dirt vis almost f completely surrounded with mercury the surface willgbe increased nearly one hundred .per cent. withoutlincreasl ing the qnantityof mercury 'conlnronly used" in panning utensils?- Whencopper 1s used for .the inner surface f Vhat I claim asmy invention, and desire operation in a xed position, as and for the to secure by Letters Patent as a new article of purposes set forth. manufacture, is-

A miningpan as herein described having JOHN A., BROCK. a supplementary plate or dish fitted into the Witnesses:

interior thereof for the purpose of collecting GEO. H. NORRIS,

and holding the mercury used in the panning GEO. F. NORRIs. 

